The LEWAD Project Story

[McColm]

 During the 1950 the British Air Ministry drew up a proposal for a long-range early warning air defence known as the LEWAD Project.
At first aircraft based at RAF Machrihanish flown by Number 5 Royal Auxiliary Air Force and using the Avro Shackleton MR.1s which were assigned the task to provide early warning of any aircraft flying from the USSR over the Polar Ice Cap.
The Avro Shackleton MR.1 was modified by SJMcColm Engineering Ltd to be known as the Avro Shackleton AEW.1 Phase 1. These aircraft carried the AN/APS-20 radar fitted under the new extended nose (that would later be incorporated into the MR.2 along with the Rolls-Royce Griffon engines). The two long-range fuel tanks became one larger one which fitted snuggly into the weapons bay. With the original radome removed the profile now changed. The guns were kept and a rear ECM fitted to the tail. Soundproofing and heat lagging improved the conditions for the crew. The in-flight refuelling probe was moved to the front of the aircraft with hard points fitted under the wings. A pair of long-range fuel drop tanks could be carried or a buddy-buddy refuelling system using two hose & drogue tanks (the rear interior avionics were removed and replaced with a rubber inflatable fuel tank. The galley repositioned behind the communications officer along with an extra Flight Engineer who controlled the refuelling. A entry/exit hatch fitted where the original radome had been and the means to refuel the aircraft whilst in-flight from the internal inflatable fuel tank). These carried the designation Avro Shackleton K.1 with the guns removed. Seven K.1s and 15 AEW.1s were converted with missions lasting upto 20 hours depending on how much oil lubricant was left in the emergency reserve tanks.
Icing became a major concern for the Shackletons resulting in the removal of the Rolls-Royce Griffons to turboprop engines inline with the new Shackleton MR.2 entering service.
These now became the Avro Shackleton AEW.1 Phase 2. Some of the RAF MR.1s were modified to the AEW.1 Phase 2 standard with three becoming training aircraft and the fleet increased from 15 to 21. New avionics were introduced during the Phase 2 and the use of air-to-air missiles for self defence. The K.1s became the K.1As.
 By 1957 the RAF was introducing the Avro Shackleton MR.3 and so Number 5 RauxAF started retiring the Shackleton AEW.1 Phase 2 for the new built AEW.1 Phase 3 based on the MR.3 but without the Bristol Siddeley Viper 203 turbojets instead they got the Alison T56 turboprops, kept the AN/APS-20 radar, a better heating system and further soundproofing. The tail remained solid with ECM radome fitted, guns removed and six underwing pylons fitted with the two inner ones plumbed for the drop fuel tanks. Instead of being a tail-dragger a tricycle undercarriage with twin wheels all round. New comfortable chairs and wingtip fuel tanks. A new canopy was fitted, replacing the heavy-framed canopy of the MR.1 with much improved vision for the pilots.
Phase 4 would be the last overhaul, the refuelling tankers were retired in the 1970s replaced by the C-130 K.1s,the fleet reduced from 21 down to 12 with 5 placed in long-term storage and the rest stripped for parts before the scrapman came knocking. The wingtip fuel tanks replaced with ESM sensors, a new ECM system fitted with decoys and a pair of AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles. Digital avionics replaced the analogue equipment.
 SJMcColm Engineering Ltd had started buying surplus Lockheed P-3A Orions from the USNAVY, in the 1970s with the intention of converting them into AEW aircraft using the Grumman Hawkeye systems and radar. These had the ESM wingtip pods and a in-flight refuelling probe fitted, retaining the underwing pylons originally intended to form an Aggressor Unit but became one of the first privately operated units in service with the Royal Air Force. A combination of nine Lockheed Orion AEWs became operational in 1984 as the last of the Avro Shackleton AEW.1 Phase 4 began to be withdrawn from service. A further five Orions, two converted to training and the other three used as refuelling tankers for the unit all funded and maintained by SJMcColm Engineering Ltd flown by Number 5 RauxAF at RAF Machrihanish. The Lockhead Orion AEW.1 was renamed the Lockheed Valkyrie AEW.1 to save any confusion to the maritime version.
As the threat from the USSR decreased the Valkyrie AEW.1s took over the duties of the Avro Shackleton AEW.2s in the Air Defence role under 11 Group and worked alongside the
 Boeing E-3Ds. Updates and upgrades kept the Valkyrie flying seeing the E-3D retire and taking over their duties until the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail becomes fully operational in RAF service.

[McColm]

Part 2

The paint scheme consisted of overall white with anti-flash roundels, light blue lettering and the unit badge. The dedicated tanker aircraft had a variety of hi-viz schemes so that the AEW.1s could find them and refuel when necessary. The wingtips were painted Day-Glo orange along with the twin-tail fins, rear tail and a yellow & black stripes underneath the wings. The refuelling tanks were painted yellow.

The AEW.1s usually flew in pairs in a racetrack pattern on opposite sides of each other at different heights, the crews normally consisted of: pilot, copilot, flight engineer,  communications officer, navigator and eight radar officers plus two observers. The two observers acted as in-flight refuelling controller or internal maintenance and chefs preparing the meals, providing tea or coffee, snacks and chipping off any frozen water from the air conditioning system used to cool down the radar screens. They were both qualified flight engineers and pilots. Additional crew could be carried in the nose or down the back in the galley area.
With the introduction of the turboprop engines as they were more reliable than the Griffons the aircraft operated alone, although the Griffon Growl had gone the turboprops weren't quieter but efficient and had a higher ceiling level. The crew conditions improved but icing on the inside of the cockpit canopy still persisted until the arrival of the new Avro Shackleton MR.3s.
The American engines gave more power although the MR.3 had gained a bit of weight so it balanced itself out. Hot air could be blown onto the cockpit canopy an idea that was warmly welcomed but they still kept the scrapper just incase.
Mission times were reduced to 12 hours but had enough fuel to divert to Iceland or Norway if Machrihanish wasn't an option although Kinloss or Lossiemouth were secondary airfields. Fog was another factor that could effect the landing base in Scotland.
 Number 5 RauxAF provided 24 hour coverage with no major incidents, the odd prang during refuelling and the occasional landing with the handbrake on. Not quite the same as a burn out but good for donuts as the pilot battled for control until the engines died down.
Mock dogfights with the USNAVY usually ended up with the wings being bent and tea stains in odd places it wasn't until the Sidewinders were fitted the Navy backed down,
The Shackletons could keep up with the propeller driven Soviet aircraft exchanging hand gestures or taking photos of each other as they headed south for Cuba.

[McColm]

Part 3

 The Lockheed Valkyrie AEW.1 differed from the American version in having the MAD boom removed and the side window of the cockpit canopy installed which was usually blanked out on the USNAVY's P-3 Orions, another noticeable feature was the in-flight refuelling probe fitted above the cockpit canopy. The ESM wingtip pods would be fitted on the update when the radar changed to the APS-145 as the older model had the APS-142.
The white paint and anti--flash roundels was carried over from the Avro Shackleton AEW.1 Phase 4, but the lettering was now in black. The units crest painted on the vertical tail fin and on some of the aircraft a shark's mouth on the radome. One aircraft had tiger stripes in white and NATO green. Aggressor paint schemes became the norm which often confused Soviet pilots as to the size and nature of the Valkyrie.
Unlike the Orion, the pilots usually shut down the two outer engines when on patrol which could increase the endurance time of upto 90 minutes depending on the weather conditions. The inside layout differed from the Shackleton AEW.1 Phase 4,in having the flight engineer ( third pilot) sitting in a jumpseat between the pilot and copilot behind them sat 8 radar officers with a tactical controller who also had a jumpseat. The toilets and galley had been fitted to the Electra which the Orion had been converted from. There was a carpet laid to dull down the noise from the engines and the interior was very roomy compared to the Shackleton.
The pilots would argue that the Valkyrie wasn't as easy to fly as the Shackleton, although it could fly faster and higher, the landing speed wasn't as docile as the previous model. The Valkyrie proved to be temperamental at times and didn't like the extreme cold weather even though it had its own auxiliary powerplant fitted in the rear which could warm up the engines and oil before they started. Handling could be problematic but fins were added to the tail for stability.
In the late 1990s an all glass cockpit and five-bladed propellers were fitted. A major overhaul and maintenance package including the avionics. A fly-by-wire control system and carbon fibre fuel tanks fitted. Carbon fibre was also used on the wings, tail surfaces and brakes.
One of the Valkyrie's was fitted with the Eerieye AWACS radar, the radar was kept after the flight trials, it's the only one which has the carbon fibre seven bladed propellers.

[McColm]

Part 4

 SJMcColm Engineering Ltd had won the contract with HM Customs to provide airborne border protection in 2001 and so the Lockheed Valkyrie AEW.1s underwent extensive upgrades including some of the features that were presented in the Lockheed P-7A concept aircraft. The fuselage was lengthened as well as the wings by 8 feet, the new engines moved further away from the fuselage, carbon fibre and fibre optics plus Formula One style fuel tanks, state of the art avionics. The turboprop engines received the new 7- bladed propellers.
Permission from Lockheed Martin to build their own production line was granted with fifteen new builds for the new contract and sales of the secondhand aircraft gaining momentum.
The LEWAD Project was amended to include the UK's EEZ and Search & Rescue Regions. The new aircraft had secure communication links to download real-time information to other NATO platforms and bases which meant going back to flying two aircraft on each mission which could last upto 20 hours. Drones were considered but not an economical alternative.
 With the increased activity from the Russians the Lockheed Valkyrie AEW.2s will remain in service for a very long time.